As climate impacts increasingly exceed the limits of adaptation in Bangladesh, speakers at a national symposium warned that without shifting power, finance, and decision-making to communities, loss and damage will continue to grow unchecked.
The Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) and Loss and Damage (L&D) Nexus Symposium 2025, organized by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), brought together more than 70 participants in Dhaka for a two-day discussion on community-driven climate responses.
Policymakers, local practitioners, researchers, youth leaders, civil society representatives, and development partners examined how locally led adaptation can be more effectively linked with loss-and-damage approaches, particularly as climate impacts in Bangladesh move beyond what adaptation alone can manage.
Set against rising sea levels, floods, cyclones, salinity intrusion, river erosion, and heat stress affecting coastal, haor, hill tract, and urban areas, the symposium emphasized that resilience-building must now be complemented by systems that recognize and respond to economic and non-economic losses already being experienced by communities.
Discussions focused on power shifts, equity-based climate finance, local data systems, indigenous knowledge, and stronger national–local coordination.
The first day of discussions centered on deepening understanding of LLA and L&D.
Speakers stressed that empowering communities requires more than consultation - it demands a transfer of power, resources, and decision‑making authority to local actors.
“LLA is not just participation; it is a shift of power, resources, and decision‑making to local actors,” said Shahrin Mannan.
Palash Sarker said that climate‑vulnerable communities are often excluded from formal decision‑making spaces, while Juel Mahmud highlighted persistent challenges in accessing adaptation finance under global frameworks.
Sessions led by Sohanur Rahman and Dr Rezwana Karim Snigdha underscored the importance of recognizing non‑economic losses, including mental health impacts, displacement, cultural erosion, and gendered vulnerabilities.
“Locally led adaptation is crucial not only to strengthen resilience but also to recognize and address the non‑economic losses that communities face every day—losses that often go unnoticed in national policies,” Rahman said.
Day two focused on lessons from local organizations working across Bangladesh’s diverse landscapes.
Marketplace sessions and panel discussions explored how LLA could better align with loss and damage responses, improve financing mechanisms, and strengthen local data systems.
Speakers warned that current adaptation efforts remain insufficient to prevent loss and damage.
Dr Ainun Nishat, Professor Emeritus at Brac University, emphasized the need for decentralized, democratic, and accountable approaches: “Without bottom‑up planning and community ownership, climate actions cannot be just or sustainable.”
He called for empowering local governments to improve coordination between national and local authorities.
Discussions on finance highlighted the urgent need for equity‑based mechanisms rather than debt‑driven approaches.
AKM Sohel, additional secretary at the Ministry of Finance, said: “Bangladesh is not in a position to take on more loans. Our Climate Finance Strategy is a clear statement that we must rethink how we finance climate action, prioritizing equity‑based and guaranteed funding over additional debt.”
The symposium concluded with a strong call for cross‑sectoral collaboration to bridge the gap between adaptation and loss and damage, and to institutionalize locally led approaches within national systems.
“LLA and Loss and Damage must move beyond siloed approaches. Collective action across sectors is essential to reduce climate impacts and strengthen resilience,” said Saqib Huq, Managing Director of ICCCAD.
Key challenges identified included:
- Inadequate community ownership in decision‑making.
- Limited access to climate finance.
- Weak data systems for assessing loss and damage.
- Poor coordination between local and national frameworks.
Tapas Ranjan Chakrabarty, Senior Program Manager, Climate Change Programme, Brac. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune
Tapas Ranjan ChakrabartySenior Program Manager, Climate Change Programme, Brac
“Adaptation often fails because both nature and policy have limits. From shifting rice cultivation to shrimp and brackish-water fisheries, repeated interventions have reduced ecosystem resilience and triggered disease. Our planning remains human-centric, ignoring nature’s own systems. As climate vulnerability increases and maladaptation grows, adaptation reaches its limits and turns into loss and damage, which must be addressed through integrated, nature-aware planning.”
Tamanna Rahman, Thematic Lead, Climate Resilience, Practical Action. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Tamanna Rahman
Thematic Lead, Climate Resilience, Practical Action
“Communities are best placed to identify where adaptation is reaching its limits, as they have lived with climate risks for generations. Many interventions lack science-backed analysis and lead to maladaptation, from costly desalination plants to unsafe rainwater harvesting. Without community-led planning, institutional support from local government, and equitable beneficiary selection, adaptation can deepen inequality and even increase risk instead of reducing it.”
Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed
Deputy Managing Director, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)
“Adaptation and loss-and-damage should work together in practice, not just on paper. At the grassroots, local government institutions like Union Parishads can track both economic and non-economic losses during disasters, creating structured, evidence-based databases. Integrating social protection, disaster management, and climate action through digital mechanisms can make relief more efficient and reduce inequity.”
Md Abul Kashem, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Md Abul Kashem
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance
“Bangladesh’s public finance depends on income, expenditure, and deficit financing, largely driven by loans and grants. With revenue growth remaining slow, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of spending is crucial. If funds are used more strategically, greater allocations for loss and damage are possible.”
Mirza Shawkat Ali, Director (Climate Change and International Convention), Department of Environment. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka TribuneMirza Shawkat Ali Director (Climate Change and International Convention), Department of Environment
“While global funds for loss and damage have begun to emerge, the available resources remain far too limited for highly vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. Accessing these funds is difficult, and national needs far exceed current allocations. Without significantly scaling up funding, effective responses to climate-induced loss, damage, and displacement will remain out of reach.”
Md Abu Jafar Ripon, Director and Deputy Secretary, Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Md Abu Jafar Ripon
Director and Deputy Secretary, Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund
“Bangladesh’s adaptation efforts are increasingly crossing their limits, as recent river erosion and displacement show. When entire communities lose homes, land, and heritage, the losses are not only economic but also social and psychological. Stronger data, clearer policies, and closer coordination are essential.”
Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune
Farah KabirCountry Director, ActionAid
“Civil society must be listened to, not just invited, if loss and damage responses are to work. Communities themselves can clearly identify their losses and propose practical solutions when engaged meaningfully. Without addressing structural and gender barriers, climate finance will continue to exclude the most vulnerable.”
Dr Nurun Nahar, Additional Secretary, Planning Commission. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Dr Nurun Nahar
Additional Secretary, Planning Commission
“Local-led adaptation must be integrated into government investment and planning structures. Strengthening local government requires political will, better data, and dedicated funding. If local-led adaptation is treated as a core development strategy, it can move beyond policy language.”
Dr Ainun Nishat, Professor Emeritus and Advisor, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research, Brac University. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Dr Ainun Nishat
Professor Emeritus and Advisor, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research, Brac University
“Bangladesh must urgently focus on locally led adaptation and strong coordination across agencies. Without empowering local governments and improving monitoring, loss and damage will only intensify as climate extremes increase.”
Dr AKM Saiful Islam, Professor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet). Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Dr AKM Saiful Islam
Professor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet)
“IPCC assessments clearly show that empowering locally led adaptation is critical for Bangladesh. Adaptation, mitigation, and disaster risk management must be integrated, as climate risks and funding gaps are growing rapidly.”
AKM Sohel, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune AKM Sohel
Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division
“Bangladesh must look at global climate finance realistically and strengthen whole-of-government coordination. Our focus should be building credible data, bankable projects, and skilled negotiators, while investing in youth capacity.”
Adv M Hafijul Islam Khan, Executive Director, Centre for Climate Justice-Bangladesh. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Adv M Hafijul Islam Khan
Executive Director, Centre for Climate Justice-Bangladesh
“Bangladesh must urgently prepare program-based proposals to access the operational Loss and Damage Fund. Strengthening bottom-up budgeting and engaging communities and local governments are essential.”
Lili Prue Marma, Founder, Youth Development for Sustainable Bangladesh. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Lili Prue Marma
Founder, Youth Development for Sustainable Bangladesh
“Indigenous knowledge is crucial for adaptation, but our practices are often undocumented and overlooked. Policymakers must engage communities to ensure cultural practices, nutrition, and sustainable adaptation are recognized.”
Naznin Nahar, Grassroot Cooperate, Rangpur. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Naznin Nahar
Grassroot Cooperation, Rangpur
“Our training programs are effective, but without initial financial support, small entrepreneurs cannot sustain their livelihoods. One-time assistance could help trainees build self-reliance.”
Saiful Chowdhury, Project Coordinator, Center for Natural Resource Studies. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Saiful Chowdhury
Project Coordinator, Center for Natural Resource Studies
“Efforts like large-scale duck farming have threatened fish breeding in Sunamganj haor. Rising sedimentation and shrinking wetlands are reducing water levels and increasing community vulnerability.”
Latifa Akhtar, Representative, Association for Socio-Economic Development (ASED), Habiganj. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Latifa Akhtar
Association for Socio-Economic Development (ASED), Habiganj
“Farmers are adopting flood-resistant crop varieties and organic practices. Integrating traditional knowledge with modern techniques is gradually improving resilience.”
Mrinal Kumar Sarkar, Program Coordinator, Parittran, Khulna. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Mrinal Kumar Sarkar
Program Coordinator, Parittran, Khulna
“Many adaptation efforts fail due to system gaps and lack of enforcement. Indigenous knowledge and coordination among communities, NGOs, and government are critical for sustained resilience.”
Md Saifur Rahman, Executive Director, Rural Society Development Association, Kurigram. Photo: Ahadul Karim Khan/Dhaka Tribune Md Saifur Rahman
Executive Director, Rural Society Development Association, Kurigram
“Our door-to-door data on loss and damage often does not match official records. Accurate local data is critical to ensure proper recognition and response during disasters.”
Key Recommendations:
1. Foster youth involvement in climate negotiations by embedding young negotiators in key climate discussions.
2. Enhance community-based climate adaptation by promoting local solutions tailored to specific environmental challenges.
3. Strengthen climate finance mechanisms by ensuring better access and allocation of funds for developing countries.
4. Implement a bottom-up budgeting approach that allows local governments and communities to identify and allocate resources effectively for climate resilience.
5. Promote indigenous knowledge systems in climate adaptation strategies to blend traditional wisdom with modern scientific approaches.
6. Improve data collection systems for accurate climate impact assessments at the local level to guide policy decisions.
7. Ensure equitable distribution of climate adaptation funds by focusing on vulnerable populations and regions most affected by climate change.
8. Create robust disaster risk management systems that integrate community-driven responses with national and global frameworks.
9. Encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration between government, civil society, NGOs, and local communities to maximize the impact of climate adaptation projects.
10. Enhance capacity-building initiatives by investing in training programs that build expertise in climate adaptation and resilience at all levels of society.